Four-year-old picks out man in ID parade

A FOUR-year-old girl identified an accused man in a police identity parade as the person who sexually assaulted her, a court heard.

The youngster picked out 51-year-old Mohammed Akram from eight other suspects in a video screening.

A jury at the High Court in Livingston yesterday was also told that Akram’s DNA was found on the girl following the alleged indecent assault at a New Year party in Granton.

The prosecution claims that Akram, known as “Prince”, sneaked into the girl’s bedroom during the party at her mother’s flat in the early hours of January 1, 2011.

The 51-year-old denies sexually assaulting the girl, detaining her against her will, threatening her with violence and causing her head to strike her bedroom ceiling.

Former Lothian and Borders Police inspector Alan Shand, 54, gave evidence about a VIPER ID parade he conducted. He said he was quite happy that the girl, the youngest VIPER witness he had ever dealt with, had fully understood what was happening.